The Washington critic., 1887-09-10
AFTER MANY DAYS.

Ihultu Nu5 utul thC hhh p'+
hind the church was the parsonage;
and there lived Dominic Wheeler aud |
his daughter Dolly. On Saturdays, |
after had my supper, used to dress
myself and tell my mother that | meant |
to call on Dominic Wheelcr's folks.
1t was good time to go, for the ser
mon had to be finished, as general |
thing, on that evening, and Dolly and
i had delightful long talks In those
solitary moments, and one evening |
proposed 10 Dolly and she accepted me.
The dominic gave us his blessing,
father and mother said they could not
have chosen daughter In law to suit
them better, and all that they asked was
that we should walt little while.
"My daughter is not II years old
yet" said the dominic. "You must
not be in hurry to take her from me. "
wait two years and you'll be three.
and.twenty and I'll give you the river
farm and build you house" said
father.
Our course of true love seemed to be
running very smooth indeed, anl
would have staked my life and soul,
q pretty heavy stake, on my constancy,
but somehow, think Satan thought
we were too happy and laid trap for
me.
DR.. Robins widow, managing
woman with big house, was In the
habit of taking summer boarders, aud
every year lot of city strangers wan.
dered about the place from June to late
In September,
There was one young lady there, q
Miss Sally Gray, so pretty that every
one who saw her was talking about 1t.
And | was introduced to her. Some
women have way Of making a man
act against his better Judgment. She
was one OF them. l did mot mean to
flirt with her, but | did. / did not
mean to meet her in shady lanes, and
in quiet wood paths. but we met. She
knew q suppose Ike Robins had told
herr about my engagement, and she
teased me about being afraid Of my
sweetheart.
Such a good, prim little thing"
she would say. "ls she dreadfully
shocked at meY Does she think | am
flirt? Does she pray for me in meet
ing 2"
l felt angry, but yet l was plqued
into proving myself free to do us |
liked. AT little evening party, to
which we were asked, l danced five
dances with her, and when, at last, my
conscience smote me and went to look
for Dolly found she had gone home
] felt terribly injured, and made up my
mind to revenge myself by spending
the evening with Sally Gray.
If | never knew how to flirt before,
Gnl1ty frou topnht mn lpt that al
and when ] took leave OF her was i'm.
prudent enough to tell her should like
TO kiss her.
do It If you DESIRE" she said
And them Yes, kissed her, and rs
did 1t the door opened and we started
apart, and there stood Dolly. She had
seen 1t all.
II left my bonnet here" she said.
"Mr. Isaac Is going home with me,
and came 10 get 1t. Sorry to disturb
you"
She was very cool and contemptuous.
She tied her bonnet at the glass, threw
her mantle over her shoulders, and
went out. Next day she broke our en-.
gagement and sent me back my ring.
The next week left home and went to
sea. Some one had told me that Dolly
was going to marry Ike Robbins.
Mother wrote to me often, but she
never mentioned Dolly, and l never
asked about her. lived with men,
generally, on the sea, and had no
thought of liking or caring for any
woman. always intended to go home
and see the old folks, but they died of
q fever within two days of each other,
and STRANGER sent me the news.
Lawyer Dredgers saw to the estate,
and did what ! asked him to do with
the money. did net need 1t then, but
1t would keep me from being begglr
In my old age. And still | sailed the
sea until, when 40 years old, an acct
dent happened TO me which came near
being my death. 1t did not kill me nor
| cripple me, but was no longer fit for
sailors life, and there was nothing
| left for me but to settle down on land
and live on my money, and so
went home at last to talk to Lawyer
Dredgers and got his advice. felt
very sad as | walked through the
village. My parents were dead no one
remembered me; had not friend In
the place. The lawyer had done his
| best to make my money profitable to
| illtt uli W. lA'hNl Nihi tiNhuANNA'
| When all the business was over took
n moonlight stroll through the street,
1t was twenty years since the night |
kissed Sally Gray, and lost my love by
ii; but nothing had altered in the out.
ward aspect OF the place.
There stood the church, there the
parsonage. walked toward 1t. The
windows Of the sitting,room were open.
drew softly near and peeped In.
There was Dominic Wheeler, look
Ing very much older, sitting exactly as
he used to sit beside the table, his red
handkerchief over his knees. a cup of
tea In his hands.
Dolly" he said.
From an inner room came a woman,
large, handsome and high, colorel, who
said:,.
"Well, father"
Could It be my slim, young Dolly
Yes, 1t was. She was very fine
looking now, and she looked so ma
tronly that Immediately concluded
that she was Mrs. Isaac Robins. Still
could not leave the window.
"I'ye been thinking 1t over, Dolly,
he said. II think 1t would be best FOL
you to marry, am so. Icanuot live
long. Nou had better marry Mr. Bra
ham. lie is very fond of you. Gor
like him, am sure. Is II for my sak(
that you say no I'
She bent over him and put her handi
upon his shoulders.
'"Father, she said, 81 am going t.
tell you the truth, thing woman
seldom does in these matters. shoulD
not have to leave you; SO it lsnOt fo
your sake, much Ms love you. But
do not care for Mr.. Braham, ! hlyu
only cared for one man ia my lifs-nl
first love, James Gardner. | sent hin
away from me, aud he had done verl
wrong; but ! think now that we bptl
love cuch other. | know that, cvel
now, cannot forget him, and that